Bagless tire press

ABSTRACT

An inflation press for use with tubeless tires, having utility in vulcanization equipment and all other mechanisms which require an air-tight bead seal. In contra-distinction to prior art approaches, the bead-sealing function is carried out by a pair of resilient annular rings each having one edge which is clamped in place and another edge which is freely deformable by suitable camming elements which are responsive to various nested fluidoperated jack mechanisms. This camming action distends the sealing rings radially outwardly against the beads of a tire or carcass to perform the sealing function during vulcanization or any other operation requiring an air-tight seal.

I United States Patent [151 3,659,975 Leblond I 1 May 2, 1972 s41 BAGLESS TIRE PRESS 3.200.443 8/l965 Maddox et al.. ..1s/2 TT x [72] Inventor: Jean Leblond, Oise, France 3'4l8'4O0 2/1968 Clapp H x [73] Assignee: Uniroyal Englebert France S.A., Neuilly- FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS s rin ra 895,196 5/1962 Great Britain I 13/2 TM [22] Filed: 1970 Primary Examiner-J. Howard Flint, Jr. [21] App]. No.: 64,414 Attorney-Robert J. Patterson B T A T [52] (1.8. CI. ..425/36, 144/288 A, 425/44, [57] A s R C 425/17 An inflation press for use with tubeless tires, having utility in 51] Im. a ..B29h 5/02 vulcanization equipment and other mechanisms which 5 n w of Search 1 /2 TM, 2 p 2 1 1 require an air-tight bead seal. in contra-distinction to prior art 13 7 w; 4 233 A approaches, the bead-sealing function is carried out by a pair of resilient annular rings each having one edge which is 56] References Cited clamped in place and another edge which is freely deformable by suitable camming elements which are responsive to various UNITED STATES PATENTS nested fluid-operated jack mechanisms. This camming action distends the sealing rings radially outwardly against the beads 2320937 1958 "18/18 F of a tire or carcass to perform the sealing function during vul- 2979'091 4/1961 18/2 TP Ux canization or any other operation requiring an air-tight seal. 3,130,446 4/1964 Duerksen.... ..18/2 '1'! 3,162,898 12/1964 Fike 1 8/2 TT X 15 Claims, 21 Drawing Figures milli- I id 2b ZQX Patented May 2, 1972 19 Sheets-Sheet 2 CPRESSURIZED D Patented May 2, 1972 19 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 3

Patented May 2, 1972 3,659,975

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Patented May 2, 1972 3,659,975

19 Sheets-Sheet 6 H 6 HCPRESSURIZED) 1 (EVACUATED) INVIL'N'I'OR. Je-n/ LEB O Ip Patented May 2, 1972 19 Sheets-Sheet 7 FIG. 7

Patented May 2, 1972 3,659,975

19 Sheets-Sheet 8 76 7a 7; FIG 8 INVEN'I'OR.

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19 Sheets-Sheet 16 VBm 2 9 I61 INVENTOR.

2 J'E'GAI LE'BUOMD 2e BY F|G|4C MJELOZW Patented May 2, 1972 19 Sheets-Sheet l 7 R. mu NO 2. N L d a E J E M M F C 6.0 m mm Patented May 2, 1972 19 Sheets-Sheet l8 TOG IN V11 N'I'UR. J'End LE Bur! Patented May 2, 1972 19 Sheets-Sheet 19 FIG. I58

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1. In a vulcanizing tire press, a self-sealing inflated tire mounting device comprising: a rim assembly including at least one elastomeric tire bead sealing ring having first and second annular edges and a bearing assembly to which said first annular edge is secured; said second annular edge being resiliently deformable radially outwardly from said bearing assembly; a mechanism for deforming said second annular edge radially outwardly whereby to distend said sealing ring to engage the bead of a tire which encircles said sealing ring; said ring-deforming mechanism comprising a ring-deforming member; means mounting said ring-deforming member for axial movement relative to said sealing ring; and means for driving said ring-deforming member through an axial stroke to distend Said sealing ring outwardly into contact with said tire bead.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein said ring-deforming member has a generally conical camming surface which tapers toward said sealing ring to cam said second annular edge of said sealing ring radially outwardly.
 3. The device of claim 2 wherein said driving means comprises: a fluid-driven piston and cylinder assembly; and means responsive to said piston and cylinder assembly to drive said ring-deforming member through said axial stroke.
 4. The device of claim 1 wherein: said rim assembly further comprises a second such tire bead sealing ring for simultaneously engaging two beads of said tire; said bearing assembly comprising a central bearing member having two sides, one of said sealing rings being on one side of said bearing member and the other of said sealing rings being on the other side of said bearing member; said bearing assembly further comprising respective means clamping the respective first annular edges of one sealing ring to respective sides of said bearing member; and said ring-deforming mechanism is arranged to deform both of said sealing rings outwardly.
 5. The device of claim 4 wherein said ring-deforming mechanism comprises respective ring-deforming members which are engageable with radially inwardly facing surfaces of respective sealing rings to deform the respective second annular edges thereof radially outwardly into contact with the respective tire beads, whereby said ring-deforming members are isolated by said sealing rings from the interior of said tire when sealing rings engage said beads.
 6. The device of claim 5 further comprising: means mounting each of said ring-deforming members for axial movement relative to its respective sealing ring; each ring-deforming member has a generally conical camming surface which tapers toward its respective sealing ring to distend said second annular edge of said sealing ring radially outwardly; and said ring-deforming mechanism further comprising means for driving said ring-deforming members through respective axial camming strokes to distend said sealing rings into contact with said tire beads.
 7. The device of claim 6 wherein said driving means comprises: respective fluid-driven piston and cylinder assemblies, one on one side of said bearing member and the other on the other side of said bearing member; said piston and cylinder assemblies being operable independently of each other; and respective means responsive to respective piston and cylinder assemblies to drive respective ring-deforming members through their respective axial strokes independently of each other.
 8. The device of claim 7 further comprising a fluid conduit formed in said bearing member and opening through the outer periphery thereof at a location between said bead-sealing rings whereby to discharge fluid into the interior of said tire.
 9. The device of claim 6 further comprising a structure supporting said rim assembly in such attitude that the toroidal axis of said bead-sealing rings is oriented vertically; the ring-deforming mechanism of an upper one of said bead-sealing rings being located above said bearing member and adapted to drive said ring-deforming member thereof vertically downward into distending engagement with said upper bead-sealing ring; the ring-deforming mechanism of the lower one of said bead-sealing rings being located below said bearing member and arranged to drive said ring-deforming member thereof upwardly into distending engagement with said lower bead-sealing ring; and at least one of said ring-deforming mechanisms comprises fluid-operated jack means for driving at least one of said ring-deforming members vertically.
 10. The device of claim 9 further comprising a horizontally oriented mold shell fixed in position relative to said supporting structure, said jack means comprising a first cylinder on said supporting structure, a first piston vertically moveable In said first cylinder, and fluid conduit means communicating with said first cylinder below said first piston, said rim assembly resting at least indirectly on said first piston and being thereby raised and lowered relative to said mold shell when sufficient fluid is introduced into and evacuated from said first cylinder below said first piston.
 11. The device of claim 10 wherein said jack means further comprises a second cylinder resting on said first piston, a second piston inside said second cylinder, means affixed to said supporting structure for supporting said second piston at a fixed position within said second cylinder, said second cylinder being moveable vertically relative to both said first and second pistons, and means for introducing fluid into said second cylinder above said second piston, said rim assembly resting at least indirectly on said second cylinder whereby to be raised thereby when sufficient fluid is introduced into said second cylinder above said second piston.
 12. The device of claim 11 wherein said jack means further comprises means on said second cylinder defining an upwardly extending sleeve, cover means cooperating with said second cylinder sleeve extension to define a third cylinder, a third piston moveable vertically in said third cylinder, means for introducing fluid into said third cylinder above said third piston, and connecting means responsive to downward movement of said third piston to drive said rim assembly downwardly whereby to draw said lower bead-sealing ring into camming engagement with said lower ring-deforming member.
 13. The device of claim 12 wherein said jack means further comprises fourth cylinder cover means positioned above said third cylinder cover means, said fourth cylinder cover means resting on said supporting structure and cooperating with said third cylinder cover means to form a fourth cylinder, a fourth piston moveable vertically within said fourth cylinder below said fourth cylinder cover means, and means for introducing fluid into said fourth cylinder between said fourth cylinder cover means and said fourth piston whereby to drive said fourth piston downwardly and said fourth cylinder cover means upwardly, means connecting said fourth piston to said rim assembly to drive said rim assembly downwardly therewith, and said lower ring-deforming member being mounted on said fourth cylinder cover whereby to move upwardly therewith, for drawing said lower bead-sealing ring and ring-deforming member further into camming engagement.
 14. The device of claim 13 further comprising tire transfer arms, means pivotally securing said arms relative to said rim assembly, a fifth piston and cylinder assembly resting at least indirectly on said rim assembly, means for introducing fluid into said fifth cylinder, and means then responsive to said fifth piston and cylinder assembly to pivot said arms relative to said rim assembly.
 15. The device of claim 13 wherein said jack means further comprises a sixth piston and cylinder assembly resting at least indirectly on said rim assembly, means for introducing fluid into said sixth cylinder, and means then responsive to said sixth piston and cylinder assembly to drive said upper ring-deforming member downwardly into camming contact with said upper bead-sealing ring. 